VOICED. with Sebastian Brown on Audiobooks.
Audiobooks are on the rise big time - so much so you could rightly argue they are an art form in their own right. From full cast productions to solo narration, old, young and everyone in between are engaging with this form of voice escapism. However, audiobooks are arguably one of the most challenging areas of voice work. In this VOICED. we’re sitting down with the super talented Sebastian Brown. Sebastian is an audiobook narrator - alongside pro voiceover actor. A love for reading is what drew Sebastian towards voiceover in the first instance. He has absolutely made the most of that love narrating multiple titles at a time - and he ain’t slowing down. Fantasy, science fiction, historical drama, literary fiction, romance and children's books - he’s lent his voice to them all and we’re very happy that he’s sharing some inside knowledge with us. Enjoy.
Sebastian Brown
How has 2026 started for you?
Actually, it’s been a wonderful start to the year, unlike previous years, I went into 2026 with several projects in the pipeline. I’m sure you know that lot of the anxiety that comes with being a freelancer is about sourcing the work, and more importantly, keeping the work coming in, but I was very lucky to end 2025 with some successful auditions for audiobooks as well as a few corporate projects that didn’t go through at the end of 2025. So for me, it’s been a lovely way to start the year. I always think that looking back on my years I’ll be confronted by some sort of clear idea of when it’s busy and when it’s quiet, but the truth is, there doesn’t seem to be any rhyme or reason to it, so starting a year with work is always great, and it makes the break over Christmas all the more relaxing!
Tell us a little bit about your work?
So I’ve been voicing now for about 8 years, and full-time for about 5 years. I mainly work across corporate narration, commercials, explainer videos and audiobooks. But I’ve pretty much lent my voice to everything imaginable, including documentaries, VR experiences, social media videos, e-learning, video games and many more strange and wonderful projects. Two areas that I am very passionate about are Sustainability voice over, because I’m very keen to lend my voice to anything that champions green energy for the future, and audiobooks, because I’m an avid reader and I’ve always loved stories. Audiobooks are really how I discovered voice-over in the first place. So most of the time I am working on one or two books at once, while balancing the other work I have.
How did you discover that you were a good audiobook narrator?
I’m not sure I’m allowed to call myself a good narrator, but I suppose if people are hiring me, I must be doing something right. Ha! In truth, I’ve been an avid reader since I was a child, and I’ve always enjoyed the process of getting lost in a good book. So being trusted to do that for an author or publisher always feels like such an exciting honour. On a purely technical level, when I was at Drama school, I realised that I was a good sight reader. We used to have tests where we would be given a piece of text that had no punctuation in it, and without seeing it beforehand, would have to read it out loud and sense when the punctuation would occur. I’ve always loved the rhythm, the music involved in the written word, and I think that kind of admiration for how a writer composes their work contributes to my skill as a narrator. But in truth, even with over 50 books narrated, I consider myself very much at the beginning of my career, still with much to learn about what makes a good narrator. One thing I will say is that I think being more myself, owning my own style and embracing the way I tell a story has given me much more confidence as a narrator.
I read an article in the Guardian last year stating that audiobook revenue has increased by 31%, to £268 million between 2023-2024, which is quite a staggering jump. Why do you think listeners are switching on audiobooks now more than ever before?
I think it’s a combination of things, really. I think younger people find them accessible and an exciting alternative to sitting and reading. But I also had a conversation with a friend in their 70’s who said that instead of sitting down and reading, he will sit and listen to the book instead, as a kind of immersive experience. And then of course you have people who are not only listening to the book, but reading along while they listen, which I think is brilliant. I also think that for many people, the process of listening to a book can allow them to accomplish other tasks at the same time. And in our modern lives that seem to be getting faster and more all-consuming by the minute, being able to listen to a book while at the gym or doing some cooking is a great way to consume more books. I know I tend to listen to a lot of books while I am doing other tasks these days.
I think we're seeing audiobooks become more creative - it’s not necessarily just one narrator, but sometimes full productions with casts of 40+ voices. Do you think the audiobook has or is becoming its own art form in its own right?
Oh totally! I think that full cast productions are becoming more of a thing, especially with the rise of high-end fantasy books and full-scale immersive worlds. But I also think that the art of the single narrator is becoming something that people are paying more attention to. I listen to a couple narrators who I am so in awe of, that I don’t really care what they narrate, its just about listening to their skill, the way they move from character to character with subtlety and nuance, the way they bring people to life without it being too over the top, and the way they have such a strong viewpoint for the narrative voice and perspective. I think, like anything, as more and more people continue to consume books, the conversation around the skills of a narrator is only going to increase. And when it comes to different forms of acting, audiobooks are such a specific and wonderful skill to try to master. Hopefully, that will mean that the skills required and the quality needed will only get better.
How does it differ creatively when narrating as part of a full audio-book cast versus doing it solo?
When narrating just a character for a book series, it’s a bit like doing a video game; you are just recording their dialogue, and that’s nice because you get to focus just on the character and who they are, and not get distracted by having to think about the narrative voice or the overall story. Doing an entire book solo is also really rewarding and exciting, because the whole story is in your hands, and you get to live the lives of every character. As an actor, I always wanted to play the parts that no one would cast me as, the wealthy older dowager, the brawny sassy dwarf, and all manner of fantastical or mystical creatures. As a six-foot-four man, those roles don’t really fit me, but as a narrator, I get to embody them all and bring them all to life. I find the hardest thing to do is a multicast book featuring four or five narrators who each take on a series of chapters. This can be so tricky because you’re all trying to hold the sense of the story and style of the book together, but you all have your own different interpretations, and you are all voicing the same characters, trying to match their voices for the audience, while also trying to give them your own spin. Now that’s tricky.
How important is casting the 'right voice' when it comes to audiobooks?
I think, like so many aspects of voice-over, the voice is so subjective. And the voice one person thinks is right is not the same for another person. But I always think that the casting people I work with do such a great job in listening to my work and samples, and really understanding where my voice not only fits naturally, but where it might be able to go. I was doing a lot of romance and fantasy initially, and I recently narrated a book about a beaten- down London policeman in a post-apocalyptic world, and it was such a departure from the normal bright storytelling that I do. I do believe that there is a right voice for most books, though, and I think that’s a combination of what the author wants, who the central character or characters are, and what time period the book is set in. I’m quite well spoken, so romance, fantasy and books not set in the modern day tend to suit me. And of course, there is sometimes just that thing, that indescribable thing, where you read something, and not only does it make sense in your voice, but it just feels right. And often those jobs go your way, because for whatever reason, they were meant for you.
What are the top skills a good narrator should have?
Sebastian Brown
Ok, this one is easy, good sight-reading, an ability to modulate your voice for character and accent work, competent technical skills when it comes to home recording and running your own studio, and patience. The last one being the most important. Patience is essential for a job that requires you to read at a consistent pace, not rush, but always be energised in the right way, pay attention for hours on end and focus on the details. I’d also say that you have to be pretty conscientious. It’s always wonderful to go into a studio and record with a director, or even have a director dial into your home studio and listen while you record, but a lot of the work is done by yourself. A producer will send you a book, send you production dates and say off you go, and the rest is down to you. It can be both wonderful and daunting, but if you don’t like working by yourself, then it’s probably not for you.
Do you make new voice discoveries in each book? If so, what's that feeling like?
Oh, definitely, especially when it comes to character voices. I think when I first started narrating, my characters were much broader and ‘caricature’, but now I try to lean much more into who they are instead of ‘how they sound.’ I think the process is always allowing you to discover new ways to tell a story, new ways to use your voice to create tension, suspense, drama, intrigue and beauty. And that all comes from the material, really. That’s not to say every book is a joy. I have certainly narrated some things that haven’t advanced my skill or been enjoyable at all, but like any job, some of it we have to do for the work, and some of it is a gift and a blessing. But getting something right, feeling like you’ve nailed a character, or the feeling when you get to the end of a book and you feel proud that someone might listen to it, now that’s a great feeling.
Of course, I've got to ask this - what are you reading right now?
Actually, I’ve had a great start to the year on books. I finished Tomorrow, Tomorrow and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin, which I didn’t think I would enjoy, and it was wonderful. Then I read Giovanni’s Room by James Baldwin, who I am a massive fan of, and that didn’t disappoint in any way. And now I’m about to finish Shuggie Bain by Douglas Stuart - which is just devastating and utterly compelling. It can be hard to keep up the personal reading when most of the time at my desk is spent reading and prepping books, but I always try to carve out time for reading to be a fun thing, and not just work.
Last one, I promise, if someone has never listened to an audio book before, what's a great one to start with?
Well, I would say always start with something that you are interested in or think you would like. And actually, a great way to get into audiobooks is to listen to a book you loved but haven’t read in years. It’s kind of like a soft launch because you know the story, and so you don’t have to pay quite as much attention. But some of my favourites recently have been Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir, narrated by the wonderful Ray Porter, which won the Audie for best audiobook in 2022. There is something about the way it is narrated that really pulls you in. And I would say the Full Cast edition of Dune by Frank Herbert, and The Sweetness of Water by Nathan Harris, which is narrated by a wonderful narrator called William DeMeritt. Those are some of the ones that I was just enthralled by and didn’t want to stop listening to.
Check out Sebastian work here and make sure you follow him on socials.